My 15 year old daughter wants to get her first deer this year and I'm trying to determine the appropriate caliber for her, as well as a rifle and scope. At this point I'm considering the 700 series Remington rifle/scope combo and the Ruger American rifle/scope combo, both chambered in .243 Winchester.Opinions? I don't have a .243; is the recoil considerably less than .308? I'd prefer .308 over the .243, but not if she doesn't enjoy shooting it from the recoil.Thanks,

I'd recommend you lean towards thinking long term, by getting a caliber and a rifle that won't just get used when she's a teen, but also when she's an adult, and long after you're wrapped in your cowhide and dumped in a hole. Because of this, I'm thinking .30-'06 in a wood stock. Besides, she's probably going to get one shot off (and you'll want it to count and compensate for a potentially poorly placed shot), and it will likely be from rest.

7mm-08, .243, .270, 25-06 all would be good options for your daughter and will be more than enough gun for a deer. you could also go the AR route too if your hunting regs allow it. Many white-tails are taken in MI with the .223. you could always look at a 6.8 SPC or 6.5 Grendel in the AR platform too.

take her along with you and let her shoulder different rifles and see what one fits her best.

You may be able to hit your contacts up and let her get behind a few different rifles in the calibers your looking at too and try before you buy.

I got my son a Rem model 7 in 7mm-08 when he was 11 or 12, he's currently 15. Initially he had issues with the recoil so I loaded up some lite 120 gr loads. He's taken several deer with it. It's a nice rifle: lite, handy, sufficient accuracy and plenty of power. In other words, I want one.

My son killed his first deer using my 300 WSM when he was nine. He had never shot that rifle before but he was proficient enough with a 22LR and 22-250 that I was confident in his capabilities. I let him take the shot because I've never noticed recoil while shooting at game and I was banking that he wouldn't either. Thankfully, he didn't. Something larger might work provided she isn't already afraid of it.

I've been playing with the 6.5 Grendel lately. It's very pleasant to shoot, powerful enough for deer and a platform that I suspect she's familiar with.

Thanks, all. After handling quite a few different guns, my daughter has ultimately chosen the Savage model #11 with the Nikon scope package chambered in .243. I really wanted her to get the .308 but she won't shoot it as much due to the recoil. Shooting the .243 isn't much different than shooting her AR15 and she can shoot it all day long.

How would I best accomplish putting both a standard two point sling and a bipod on it?

Thanks, all. After handling quite a few different guns, my daughter has ultimately chosen the Savage model #11 with the Nikon scope package chambered in .243. I really wanted her to get the .308 but she won't shoot it as much due to the recoil. Shooting the .243 isn't much different than shooting her AR15 and she can shoot it all day long.

How would I best accomplish putting both a standard two point sling and a bipod on it?

Great choice, I love savage rifles. All my long range builds are on savage actions, for the money I do t think they can be beat.

Harris bi pods are able to have a sling attached to the bi pod, but I would recommend ditching the Tupperware stock and get a decent laminate one with 2 swivel studs. Boyd's makes some really nice stocks for the money. They aren't McMillan but you don't really need that on a hunting rifle.

After ditching the Tupperware stock glass bed the action to float the barrel. Be sure to leave the rear tang floated as well. Savage rifles for some reason do not like the rear tang area bedded. Throw some pillars in the stock while you are at it if you want, but again not really needed on a hunting rig.

Thanks for all the information. I'll research every option you listed. In handling all of them, the Savage stood out not just to her but me as well. I'm considering getting the same gun in .308 for myself.

Thanks for all the information. I'll research every option you listed. In handling all of them, the Savage stood out not just to her but me as well. I'm considering getting the same gun in .308 for myself.

I really fell in love with them when I got started long range shooting. At the advice of Pff I started with a 22 and fell in love with the accutrigger. It's not a jewel or Timmey, but it's the nicest factory trigger I have ever shot.

When I got back from Afghanistan I saw a savage 10 on sale in 308 and gave it a shot. Did ok with factory ammo but nothing super special. Next time out I shoot some FGMM 168's. shot 4 5 round groups the biggest being around .67 Mia at 100 yards. I was hooked after that.

Another great thing is the upgradablity of them. They are kind of the 10/22's of the centerfire world. Stocks, chassis, barrels, you name it, it's out there. If she decides later she wants to step up from the 243, no need to buy a new rifle. Just grab a barrel. Takes about 10 minutes to swap one out.

Even the axis line are surprisingly good shooters. I picked one up a few years ago just trying to see how cheaply I could get to 1000 yards. Optics included I think I have right at $1000 in it and with the right bullets it rings steel every time. It doesn't group the best of my LR rifles, but I didn't think it would turn out as good as it did.

I really can't say enough good things about savage rifles, you will see why after you shoot them.

PRODUCT LINKWe went today to get her Model #11, but due to Black Friday pricing, we got her a Model #10 in .243 with a gorgeous wood stock and really decent Nikon scope for just a little over $500.

sav10.jpg (190.81 KiB) Viewed 1606 times

It felt real good to put this one in the safe. Tomorrow we'll take it out and sight it in and then Sunday (the last day of hunting season) I hope she will get her first deer.

I started her off with 100 rounds of Hornady SST which according to most sources is an outstanding cartridge.

My S&W iBolt in .30-06 has brought a deer home every year and I have an attachment to it, but dry firing this Savage might just make me pick one up in .30-06 for myself. As an unapologetic trigger snob I gotta say to Savage: Good job!.

11bravo wrote:The accuteigger is hard to beat. You should have went ahead and picked up one for you as well in 308, as I'm pretty sure after you fire that one, you will anyway.

Come to find out, they do make the rifle in .30-06 (they just didn't have one in stock there) and I'm sure to pick one up.

I thought you were looking for a 308, but of course they make a 30-06, the model numbers are just different. Anything from savage in a 06 will be a 110, or 111. 10/11 for short action, 110/111 for long action. Anyways grab yourself one in either caliber, you won't be disappointed.

The 243 is great. Especially for a younger shooter. It can be loaded light for small critters, heavy for deer and larger game, and depending on the twist rate, you can load up some 107 grainers for long range paper or steel punching. The older I get and the worse my arthritis gets, the more I enjoy the 243 over the 308.

11bravo wrote:I thought you were looking for a 308, but of course they make a 30-06

I was looking for one in .308, but only because the salesman told me that .308 was the largest caliber available in the platform. I like the .308 almost equally as much anyway and the ballistics are closer than ever but if I can choose either one I'll most always go big/heavy.

The older I get and the worse my arthritis gets, the more I enjoy the 243 over the 308.

I too am facing similar issues, but I'm not quite ready yet to capitulate to my aging. My current struggle is figuring out how to tame the .458 Socom that hasn't even been delivered yet.

11bravo wrote:I thought you were looking for a 308, but of course they make a 30-06

I was looking for one in .308, but only because the salesman told me that .308 was the largest caliber available in the platform. I like the .308 almost equally as much anyway and the ballistics are closer than ever but if I can choose either one I'll most always go big/heavy.

The older I get and the worse my arthritis gets, the more I enjoy the 243 over the 308.

I too am facing similar issues, but I'm not quite ready yet to capitulate to my aging. My current struggle is figuring out how to tame the .458 Socom that hasn't even been delivered yet.

I like the 06, its a great caliber, but for my shooting, the 308 has over taken the 30-06. I have a Remington 700 in 30-06 but couldn't tell you the last time I shot it. I refuse to sell it though as if you don't own at least one 06, I assume you have a vagina.

The sad part is Im about 15 years younger than you. Rheumatoid arthritis is a bitch.

So I bought a CZ 550 AMERICAN in .270 last year and I have been extremely pleased with it. It holds .5 MOA at 300 yards! I haven't had chance to paper it further than that but needles to say I am reliable with it to 350. I'll not shoot any deer further than that until I have had chance to map the trajectory past that point.

One of the biggest pluses is the trigger. It's a single set trigger both stages adjustable for pull. I have the set trigger side set at 8oz! It breaks like glass! The normal style trigger I have set to a little more than 2 lbs and is pretty good for a stock hunting rifle.

Bad side is that they are a little heavy for hiking with but I drive my atv to the "stand" if you can call it that. (I'm bench rest hunting)

Other thing is they're discontinued, I stumbled on mine at a LGS on the very top of a rack completely covered in dust.

I gave 1k for it and a 4-12x42 Redfield that sits on top. I also have one of the Harris bipods on it and you can put the 2 point sling on with it installed. I'm also shooting the Hornady SST ammo. I'll put my combo against any of my buddies Browning A bolt or Remington 700 any day.

Both the CZ and my Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 the stocks have been weighted and had recoil suppressers installed lately. I've not had a chance to shoot the 06 yet, and I've really not noticed the CZ as it was mild to start with.

Nice choice! Even if she does grow into an even more suitable big game cartridge, the 243 will remain a nice long distance target or varmint shooter all day long. My go to deer gun is a 30-06 for many years now. I just purchased my first "sniper rifle" a couple years ago, a bolt action 243 Weatherby Vanguard IIS. Love it! Not a youth rifle per se, because of its heavy weight and length, but it sure does shoot nicely. Savage has quite a following for sure.